Herbal Weight Loss
By Martha Benedict, MA, LAc, OMD

A reader asked for guidelines in using herbal support when trying to lose weight. As a practitioner I'm not in favor of diets, per se. I'd rather that people establish appropriate ratios of food groups-protein, vegetables, oils, fruits, and grains-and eat plenty of fresh unprocessed organic (as possible) foods in a timely way in celebration of life. In my clinical experience, this usually means more protein, good quality non-hydrogenated oils, and far fewer grain-source carbohydrates. However, if it is important for you to concentrate on getting in shape for summer, here are some safe herbs I use to assist in the process.

First consider detoxification and tonification of the intestinal tract. I use the gentle "Butternut Bark" to move food and metabolic waste through the intestinal system without causing strong gripping or upsetting the water-mineral balance in the intestine. To provide a balanced formula for the kidney / bladder and provide a slight diuretic action use Kidney Tonic to enhance excretion of waste as well as water through the urinary system. It is not enough to merely increase loss of mineral-rich fluids in this manner, it's more important to emphasize the elimination of cellular waste.

The next category of herbal support to consider is a formula to enhance fat metabolism by the liver. For this No Burp is excellent especially if added to a cup of green or black tea. This mixture harmonizes the action of the stomach and the liver to improve digestive discomfort as well as fat metabolism.

Along this same line, if a person has deposits of cellulite, a mix of fat and metabolic waste deposited in fat cells, vigorous rubbing of the cellulite areas with a product, Lymph Oil, has been very successful.

To reduce hunger drive, it is important to enhance utilization of the good food you ingest. One of my favorite methods is to encourage the use of herbal bitters to improve assimilation of food. If you assimilate the food consumed and the cells of body satisfy their nutritional requirements, the brain shuts down the physical part of the hunger drive. To achieve this goal, I recommend Holiday Bitters, a pleasant testing formula blending more than thirty herbs, and taken before meals. If there is more prolific gas and bloating, Tummy Ease is an excellent blend of European and Chinese herbs to address this digestive issue.

I think it is important to address fatigue. One of the most frequent complaints I hear from patients when dieting is they get so tired they start reaching for sugar and chocolate. To avoid this, I recommend an herbal energy tonic such as Siberian Ginseng or Mega Ginseng, a blend of ten different kinds of "ginseng".

Finally, when dieting, nurture yourself by increasing rest, exercise, and relaxation in your day.

-Be Well, Martha
Martha Benedict, OMD, LAc, was one of the first acupuncturists licensed in California and a founder of the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine. She owns Benedictine Healing Products, a business selling herbs for people and their pets at local stores, and on the web at: www.benedictineherbs.com. and practices acupuncture in Santa Cruz.

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